Lineup

A little late today, as I stayed downstairs for batting practice to introduce some of the players to our sponsors who made the trip out to Florida for this series. Just one of the many little things that go into the operation of a Major League team.

Yes i second that fansince53! Go DODGERS!!! Congrats on catching the ball Olmedo Tomatoe hit! I actually sat behind you last year about 4 or 5 rows back and i remember seeing your jersey and i thought to myself now thats dedication! Lets get a win!

It’s clear as day for christ sakes. Batting two lead-off men at the top of the order must be a new revolutionary idea the management has decided to go with this year. Maybe posting this again will help:

Listening to Steiner and Lyons call a game is much like going to the dentist, having your prostate checked, and finding out that their is no such thing as Santa Claus, all wrapped into one. They are such donkeys.

Great play Valdez — Great Squeeze by Tomko — Well done — keep it going — Way to go Furcal — But, Pathetic Pierre pops up for the 3rd time.. Could he possibly be anymore worthless ?? The Cubs GM laughing his but off every time he thinks about Pierre with the Dodgers..

And that’s why Saenz started over Nomar tonight! Also the key to this game was the first inning and how the Dodger hitters sans Furcal and Pierre worked Willis over 30 pitches in the first inning. It’s a crucial thing that needs to be done more often.

Yes nice call fansince! Now how come we dont see anyone commenting on Tomko great outing so far!? this is exactly what we need a good start and eating up some innings. Great job Tomko!!!! only 58 pitches in 5 innings pitched very nice. This is the reason he is our #5 starter like i have said before his record is not showing what he has done for us so far this season!

Great job by Tomko working out of that jam in the 6th. Also, I think Pierre needs to start tomorrow’s game on the bench 4 fly outs so far. And I’m not hating on Pierre it’s constructive criticism that he probably needs a day or half of it off.

Everyone knows Wilson Betemit can hit… including all you Betemit haters… even you guys are aware that Betemit can hit the ball with tremendous authority. That double of his was absolutely smoked. He’s reading the ball much better now. LaRoche had better not have an extended slump anytime soon… because if he does, it looks like Betemit is going to hit his way back into the lineup. Just like Grady designed it. And without question, Wilson is the better defensive player.

I really feel that Betemit needed some time to regroup and these past few days may have afforded him just that… time to get his head straight. We may now be blessed with two hard hitting third basemen and one will eventually have to move on. Betemit has “Big Papi” power. Will the kid be benched when he goes through the inevitable slump that most rookies endure? Or will the Dodgers risk losing a legitimate power hitter for the promise of what LaRoche might become?

That’s not being ‘negative’, just realistic. Valdez is nothing more than a AAAA type of player with only one above-average tool: speed. The Dodgers already have one utility infielder who can’t hit a lick (Martinez), so Valdez is simply redundant. I will be very pleased once he’s finally dropped for someone in the organzation who is infinitely better.

what happened to all of the guys complaining about tonight’s lineup being a joke? maybe Grady’s not so foolish after all.only mistake is maybe left Tomko too long but that’s an honest mistake when you’re guy is going good. and for all of the Pierre bashers remember that Ricky Henderson says he wants to come back and he has all of those numbers you keep talking about. why aren’t you bashing Furcal? his numbers are worse than pierre’s.

Take five seconds and compare LaRoche’s swing mechanics to Betemit’s – completely different universe. Thankfully, we have an Assistant GM (Logan White) who values bat speed in hitters, which is something LaRoche brings in spades. I would take that anyday over someone who may have raw power but also long swing that’s prone to Ks.

Huge win tonight! The Dodgers win and everybody else in the N.L West lost! Also, Dontrelle Willis is very good friends with Juan Pierre. Willis is a free agent after the 2009 season. This is a good story about their friendship and Willis’ desire to perhaps play in L.A in the future.

momoracci… It’s funny you mention “swing mechanics” when speaking of strikeouts… and then mention “bat speed” as if the two are somehow mysteriously interconnected with one another. Are you saying that Andy LaRoche can strike out quicker than Wilson Betemit can? I just don’t get it…

Since we’re on the subject of strikeouts: Wilson Betemit has struck out 195 times in the majority of five seasons in the bigs. LaRoche has struck out 232 times in the minors… which is sure to increase here in the bigs. Sure one can argue that Betemit strikes out once every 4 at bats in the bigs, while LaRoche has struck out every 6 at bats in the minors… but Betemit is still a proven commodity who is simply battling a slump that every player at one time or another goes through.

Listen… I hope Andy LaRoche never sees the light of day again in the minor leages. I hope he hits lights out from here on out. But the chances of that happening are about as good as the Dodgers are at finding an every day third baseman that actually sticks with the club… something they really haven’t had since the days of Ron Cey. Remember what happened to Matt Kemp last year. Dude hit lights out until the rest of the league figured out he couldn’t hit any curveball to save his life. Let’s hope that Andy LaRoche doesn’t fall into that category.

But until that day comes, let’s not throw Wilson Betemit out with the bath-water just yet. We may need his services before too long… and if his bat is awakening, which if anyone who has seen his last several at bats that isn’t blind as a bat would tell you appears to be happening, then we’d better hang onto him for the time being. After all, I’d hate to be reading a few years down the road how “the Dodgers let go one of the best power hitters in the league” because he went through a one-month slump. Seems to me I remember a certain shortstop who had one of those last year to start the season… and I’ll not even mention the name Konerko… ooops… guess I did.

And short swing or not, LaRoche has proven that he’s quite capable at striking out… without our help. Let’s just hope that he sticks around long enough to make a real difference, and if not, let’s also make certain we’re not giving up on Betemit’s talent too early.

The way La Roche is playing Betemit might be riding the pine until he gets traded.

In the minors La Roche as always hit for average and in the last couple of years his walk totals have gone up while his K totals have gone down. If he keeps this up he’ll be our number 3 hitter of the future.

Sabre3,
I dont understand the bitterness of people like you to those who cite statistics. Statistical analysis is an important part of this game. While it is not the end-all, it does help determine the value a player has. That is not to say that intangibles are not important, as I think leadership and character and work ethic are important, just not as important as some people think. I don’t understand the divide between the new generation of sabermetricians and the old-school fans. Both sides are useful in evaluating players.

The bottom line is right now Pierre is not getting it done and there is no other way around that. For a number 2 hitter to see a total of 12 pitches in 5 at-bats is unacceptable. Also a sub 300 OBP is terrible from anyone let alone a hitter at the top of the order

Hey Max… remember Matt Kemp last year? We were all sending him to the Hall of Fame after three weeks in the bigs… and we all know what happened after that. So I’ll use your mantra of late, right back at ya in reverse… so stay with me on this one:

“The way LaRoche is playing? How many official at-bats does he have anyway? Oh, that’s right… only 10!!! Wow! That’s a HUGE cross-sample to form an opinion with. And to think he did the majority of this against the second worst pitching staff in the National League. Yeah, LaRoche is headed to the Hall of Fame for sure!”

You gotta admit now, THAT was funny!! Seriously, I hope the kid does well. My point is not to trade Wilson away just yet… he might go Matt Kemp on us and not be able to hit his way out of a paper bag in three weeks. Time will tell… on both counts of this argument. THAT you can count on for certain…

Again… “Stay Tuned…”

Go Dodgers!!

Go LaRoche!!

Go Betemit!!

Go Anyone Who Can Become Our Every-Day Third Baseman AND Hit For Power!!

kassparkuhl, i think you’ve finally gone crazy. I did not say “omg La Roche is a hall of fameR @#$!#$%~” I simply said exactly what i said.

Betemit is garbage. You seem to think that Betemit will fulfill his potential but you seem to think that La Roche wont fulfill his.

There is a reason La Roche is out top prospect and the number 13 prospect in all of the majors. He has talent, a much greater upside to Betemit even though you believe Grady’s ridiculous quote that he has “big papi” power, La Roche has the ability to hit 35 home runs a yeah hit over 300 and drive in 85-100 runs. Betemit will maybe hit 25 hit .270 and drive in 70 runs.

i’ve come to the conclusion that you have no idea what you are talking about anymore because your boy betemit hasn’t reached his potential in the 7 months he has been a dodger. You get so excited about his “big papi power” that you don’t realize has Mario Mendoza contact skills.

Please do us all a favor and shut up about Betemit. He’s not the third basemen right now and he probably won’t be. The way you are talking it seems like you want La Roche to fail and you accuse me and other of being negative. SHUT UP PLEASE you sound like an old man with Alzheimer’s screaming incoherent **** about something he knows nothing about.

wow, this blog is really getting out of control. think maybe i’ll be spending less time here. perhaps for the last time:

just a little stat that may lighten things up,

the Dodgers are in first, and while we may not have the best record in baseball, know that our Strength of Schedule has been the hardest thus far in baseball. that’s right, we have had the hardest schedule and are still winning. just wait until we have runs against some of the cellar teams.

sorry if i went overboard but he think he’s the only one that can have an opinion that isn’t negative.

I’m not being negative. I just want the best possible team to be on the field. That’s not happening. yes we are winning but how much longer until the old guys fart out. Or how much longer will we have Pierre killing rallies for us. This stuff that is killing us now was all foreseeable. You just have to look at the numbers.

People can call me a stat head all they want but there is a reason stats were created. If we all based players on their personality or tools and not thier talent and production then there would be so many awful baseball teams in the league.

The point is NOT to get too excited over LaRoche’ just yet… which is EXACTLY what you are: excited. I love your boyish enthusiasm you show this guy… and yet you fail to remember he’s only been up for four games. You’d think he was the ONLY third baseman in the Dodgers’ organization.

I HOPE LaROCHE DOES WELL! You obviously didn’t read my post when I said I hope he never sees the light of day in the minor leagues ever again. But WHAT IF he does go “Matt Kemp of ’06″??? Obviously you’re very short-sighted. Now, put down the coffee and SLOWLY back away…

Taken from the Dodger Thoughts blog from today:

“Wilson Betemit is 4 for 12 this month with a double, two homers and a walk (though seven of his eight outs have been by strikeout), reminding those who needed reminding that he’s not hopeless as a hitter. In fact, the belittled Betemit boasts an on-base percentage and slugging percentage for the season higher than Juan Pierre’s, leaving Pierre’s 75-percent basestealing and dubious center-field play as his only advantage.

Not that Betemit is competing with Pierre for playing time, of course, but is there anyone who thinks that the Dodgers need both Ramon Martinez and Wilson Valdez on the roster, especially with Tony Abreu and Chin-Lung Hu presenting themselves as viable callups should a starting infielder get hurt?

Betemit’s on-base percentage is even higher than Nomar Garciaparra’s, and his slugging percentage trails Garciaparra by a surprisingly slim .037. Garciaparra was rested for performance reasons today, according to Grady Little’s comments in Ken Gurnick’s MLB.com piece today, showing that the Dodgers have noticed Garciaparra’s declining production.”

Oh… and you obviously weren’t able to “stay with me” on the reverse satire I threw your way. You were using similar context in some earlier posts, albeit in reverse, about LaRoche… the fact he didn’t have any MLB stats… etc. I was simply using your ideological insight for the kids’ very brief MLB career. It’s a two-way street Maxy…

You know Ewk216 you’re right about La Roche. I don’t get it either. He is awful i mean look at his average when he played in the majors! .000??!?! **** whats worse is that he had no hits in 0 plate apperences i mean i could do better then that. And all those Errors he made when he was on the big league club. How the heck did this kid hit more home runs the past three years then all of our last three third basemen combined! And how in the world did he hit .315 last year with 19 home runs with a bum shoulder and missing most of the year. Yeah seriously why is he considered our top prospect by all the expects. They must be on crack.

It was satire Max… and in reverse of the above post. Relax… it’s not a personal attack on you. You simply shouldn’t consider that LaRoche will stick right away. If he falters, then we’re in big trouble if we get rid of Betemit… unless the “big trade” happens. Betemit’s bat is showing signs of coming alive. 18 homers is no fluke. If LaRoche can be “The Man”, then more power to him!! : ) Then and only then should we consider Betemit to be trade bait. But we cannot know that for at least a couple of months… by that time we’ll know what the kid is made of. It would be easier to get rid of Wilson Betemit at that time.

I saw an intresting stat flash today about pierre lifetime with bases loaded that I went to checkout.

The stat I saw was like.394 avg lifetime bases loaded then checked last 3 years 04-06 and he is hitting .594 with ops over 1.400….Now I don’t want to come off as some kinna big JP fan or anything but you guys might wanna get off your Stools and quit your Negative approach or are gonna start eating some serious crow.JP is a Dodger and will be for a long time so Get behind him or Get lost! Constructive critisism has its place but This Broken record has to go. Betemit is getting it together and LaRoche has been Eye-Popping Anderson is gone for awhile so there is room and need for both. Maybe JP and Betemit both get Hot and we can package them up in a Deal with Tomko and watch that team win the WS in Oct…

These are the players on the Team we all root for so ROOT for Them!!!!

Fogive me… please DO consider that LaRoche will stick. It’s just not all that likely. If he does stick and can prove no flash-in-the-pan… fabulous! I’m all for it! And if Betemit hadn’t hit the way he has over the past four days, we wouldn’t even be having this discussion right now. : )

i just wanna know why you think Betemit will stick around more then La Roche? La Roche has more talent. You’re getting so up on Betenmit’s 18 home runs. Maybe the league has figured him out. He hasn’t hit since september of last year. He didn’t even hit in winter ball.

Because none of it is constructive…and i find it Very annoying everytime I look at this Blog that all anyone wants to do is whine about this player or that player but never give credit where credit is do for the players who Stepped up on this day to help the team win.
Everyone said in March that Valdez would do nothing and be gone by now….Well look who is doing all the little things to score runs and make a differance? Granted he has tapped into DP’s that only turn 1 after Ethier gets on but Ethier is pretty lost on the bases.He is a great hitter and OF’r but not a very good baserunner so far.Valdez is so far in what I’ve seen the best baserunner on the team with Martin being a very close 2nd.If he played more he might hit better but also might not be as fast not to mention that our dancecard is more then full.Martinez is a valuble tool but Valdez is the man I want on the basepaths if we need to score a run.

I remember sooo many years of having players who were below avg and having nowhere to turn this year is a matter of only the strong stay so its all about who will fall next to make way for a young hungry player.

Max how are you judging talent exactly? Baseball America?? Betemit hitting 18 home runs in the majors pretty much equals talent to me. LaRoche didnt hit a lick in Spring Training either so the whole winter ball thing is just pointless. Betemit has been in over 300 major league games, but im sure it takes that long to figure a player out. Sure LaRoche has “talent”– something not even quantifiable, but you cannot argue with who is more proven. Please tell me why LaRoche has more talent because that is really the much better question friend???? LaRoche has no numbers, no experience, success in the minors, and below average defensive skills (although he has impressed me thus far on D).
Just be reasonable, because you sound pretty irrational, especially blasting others for their points. Your’s just arent good enough to justify that and i think you might be the only one who doesnt realize that.

I just dont really know what you;re talking about bc Betemit has already fulfilled his potential– he has hit well over 300 in more than 200 major league games. Crowning La Roche the #3 hitter of the future is quite frankly ridiculous based on minor league number comparable to Betemit’s MAJOR league numbers over his first 2 years. Not to mention 10 games in the bigs… So really, just chill because we are in first place and have a solid team.

Betemits 300 games are only 750ish AB he has never really played a full season and is not more then a rookie + or even a utilityman before he came to LA ATL needed a 3rd and showcased him he came here and hit .240’s with some power and some D skill …That makes him a young Tomato nothing more. He has done great off the bench and Laroche has only proven that he is Young and pumped and the rest remains to be seen nothing to debate.Yes Betemit hit 18 hr last year before that he had 5 total…. in parts of 3 years…Loney had that last year in part of 1 yr….Get real and Get behind the Team!!!!

ladodgerbluefan5
i think you’ve missed my point. what i have been trying to do is point out that is that stats are Part of player evaluation, not the end all be all. the members of this blog have been like a pack of sharks the instant that a player hits a slump and rip him apart and only quote those stats that prove their point. the way it’s going a lot of these guys would rip Sandy for losing 2 in a row after his perfect game. it’s ok to be critical but how would you like to go to work everyday and read what a bum you are? stats, like the Bible can be used to prove whatever you like. just be fair and give these guys a chance.let Grady do his job. if he doesn’t then Mr. McCourt will do his. bye the way as a last thought God is a Dodger, why do you think the sky is blue. support the guys don’t rip ‘em so hard. as always GO BLUE

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